Saber (Fate/Axiom ~ Constantine I)
"Thinking is the great enemy of perfection. The habit of profound reflection, I am compelled to say, is the most pernicious of all the habits formed by civilized man..." '' — Constantine the Great Saber (セイバー, Seibā'') is aSaber -class Servant involved in the Grand Orders of Fate/Axiom and is the first Servant to be summoned by Albert Magnus. Profile Identity Saber’s True Name is Constantine the Great (コンスタンティヌス・ザ・グレート, Konsutantinusu za Gurēto), the first emperor to claim conversion to Christianity and ban the persecution of Christians within the Roman Empire. Constantine was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. Although he lived most of his life as a pagan, he joined the Christian faith on his deathbed, being baptised by Eusebius of Nicomedia. He played an influential role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan in 313, which declared religious tolerance for Christianity in the Roman empire. He called the First Council of Nicaea in 325 that produced the statement of Christian belief known as the Nicene Creed. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built on his orders at the purported site of Jesus' tomb in Jerusalem and became the holiest place in Christendom. The age of Constantine marked a distinct epoch in the history of the Roman Empire. He built a new imperial residence at Byzantium and renamed the city Constantinople after himself (the laudatory epithet of "New Rome" came later, and was never an official title). It became the capital of the Empire for more than a thousand years, with the later eastern Roman Empire now being referred to as the Byzantine Empire by historians. His more immediate political legacy was that he replaced Diocletian's tetrarchy with the principle of dynastic succession by leaving the empire to his sons. His reputation flourished during the lifetime of his children and centuries after his reign. The medieval church upheld him as a paragon of virtue, while secular rulers invoked him as a prototype, a point of reference, and the symbol of imperial legitimacy and identity. Beginning with the Renaissance, there were more critical appraisals of his reign due to the rediscovery of anti-Constantinian sources. Trends in modern and recent scholarship have attempted to balance the extremes of previous scholarship. Personality Constantine the Great is a noble and fair warrior who is the very definition of chivalry. He is a brave and somewhat arrogant man who possesses an absolute will when dealing with difficulties. A great leader who could instill clear loyalty into his army and was massively popular among the people who believed he was truly under the protection of the Gods. He was also a rather fair judge. Though, he may appear as a noble and kind man to his people, he is also a liberator who instills fear into the bones of his enemies... An absolutely battle-hardened man who does not know how to give up, ever possessing a constant win streak much to the chagrin of his enemies. Anyone who tried to put this man down was met with crushing failure. Galerius assigned him to a suicide mission by ordering him to march his army through the swamp on the middle Danube, threw him into a pit to combat with a lion single-handedly, and continuously attempted to kill him in hunts and wars, but even so... Despite how hard Galerius tried, Constantine never stopped winning. He returned from the apparent suicide mission in Danube with a Sarmatian captive to drop at Galerius' feet, left the lion in far worse condition than he himself was and evaded any assassination attempts in hunts and wars. Galerius failed and next it was Maxentius' turn. Maxentius proclaimed Constantine a rebellious traitor and swore vengeance on Constantine for killing his father Maximian - who attempted to rebel against Constantine prior to this but was driven to suicide. All of Constantine's generals and strategists told Constantine that the battle against Maxentius was unfavourable and that Maxentius' army was twice the size if not larger than Constantine's own. And yet, Constantine despite the protests of his strategists and generals marched into war and led a crushing victory against the forces of Maxentius, forcing the man to flee until he was eventually caught, decapitated and his head sent to the doors of his allies that instantly ceased any rebellious activities against the liberator Constantine. Even the people never once abandoned their favour of Constantine during Maxentius' claims of Constantine being a traitor. The Augustus Licinus was met with similar crushing defeat, being unable to take down Constantine either. Such was the bravery and vitality of the man who never once stopped his immense streak of victory and remained undefeated. He is a great hero who liberated the Roman people and stopped the persecution of Christians during his time as well as combated the inflation with a creation of a new currency that would be used for thousand of years after his time, but every great hero has their dark secret. Because Constantine's image has been distorted by the depiction of him as a tryant by many scholars, Constantine has a side of him that is aligned with the ever-greedy and lust-seeking side of the Roman Empire. Because of this Constantine cannot be applied to the Ruler class and will remain chained down to his worldy desires by the tyrant side of him. Since Constantine feels discontent towards this depiction of him, he will likely refuse to be summoned into the Lancer class - which is his strongest class. This is due to the fact that in the Lancer class, his primary Noble Phantasm will become the Holy Lance Longinus. But because Longinus is an omnious Lance that tempts the owner with visions of their own greatness, Constantine has a heavy dislike for the spear that would likely fuel the tyrant he is trying to suppress. Relationships (To Be Developed) Role Saber is the first Servant summoned by Albert Magnus during the events of the Verona Loop during the Grand Orders of Fate/Axiom. Abilities Servant Parameters Class Skills Magic Resistance (A) - 'Cancel spells of A-Rank or below, no matter what high-thaumaturgy it is. In practice, the Servant is untouchable to modern magi, so it would not be an exaggeration to title the Servant a "Magus Killer". Beside being of the Saber class which possesses natural high ranking resistance to Magecraft, Constantine's rank is particularly high due to the divine protection granted to him by numerous Gods and his second Noble Phantasm that protects him from harm through the relic taken out of the True Cross. '''Riding (B) -' Most vehicles can be handled with above average skill. However, cannot ride the likes of Phantasm Races such as Monstrous Beasts. Constantine was a knight skilled in riding horses and he led numerous cavalry charges against enemy tribes. When summoned into the Rider class, this skill is ranked up. 'Battle Continuation (A) -' A skill that allows for the continuation of combat after sustaining mortal wounds. It will also reduce mortality rate from injury. This skill represents the ability to survive and/or the mentality of one who doesn't know when to give up, consisting of one's strength of vitality in predicaments. As a man of faith who put his trust in God, Saber walks into any battle with a blessed assurance that he is kept and covered by the light of God and his sword is spurred by Providence. Personal Skills 'Saint (A) - '''A skill possessed by those acknowledged as a ''Saint. When summoned as a Servant, the ability of saint is selected one among "raising the effectiveness of sacraments", "automatic HP recovery", "1 Rank-Up to Charisma" and "production of a holy shroud is possible". In Constantine's case, he is recognized as a Saint equal to the Apostles by the Orthodox Church for being an important historical figure who was the first Roman emperor to claim conversion to Christianity and ceasing the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire which was a turning point for Early Christianity, sometimes referred to as the Triumph of the Church, the Peace of the Church or the Constantinian Shift. 'Innocent Monster (B) - ' It is possessed by those containing two conflicting personalities - often created as a result of a false picture painted of the individual by the minds of the people. Constantine, who is revered as a Saint, possesses a second personality - which is that of a cruel, self-righteous tyrant. This is a picture of Constantine that many scholars have tried to depict ever since the discovery of anti-Constantinian sources. As such, upon being summoned as a Servant, Constantine is constantly suppressing a second him who is trying to come to the surface and tempt Constantine to relieve himself in wordly pleasures. When fighting a battle with personal intentions - such as anger or hatred towards the other individual - Constantine is granted a rank up in STR and his strikes become more aggressive and cruel in nature - as if he were a butcher instead of a knight. In exchange when fighting such a battle, the personal skill Saint is locked away and a rank down in LCK is activated. Because of this skill, Constantine is not applicable for the Ruler class. 'Charisma (B) -' Rank suitable for a king of a country. Constantine ruled over the Roman Empire and instilled great loyalty into his people to the point that his men were unwilling to betray Constantine even when they were offered money by the opposing side. He was a king loved by many and was even referred to as the Greatest Augustus in his time. 'Military Tactics (B) - '''Tactical knowledge used not for one-on-one combat situations, but for battles where many are mobilized. Constantine the Great was a magnificent military leader who led numerous successful military campaigns during his life-time. Notably, he utterly destroyed any of the opposing Roman emperors and rebels that were trying to take him down from power. Maximian, Licinius, and most importantly Maxentius all suffered major defeats at the hands of Constantine contrary to the belief of his generals and strategists who thought Constantine had unfavourable chances against Maxentius whose army was twice as large. Furthermore, he pursed successful campaigns against the tribes on the Roman frontiers - such as the Franks, the Alamanni, the Goths and the Sarmantians - and even resettled territories abandoned by his predecessors during the Crisis of the 3rd Century. '''Divine Protection (A) -' A skill that grants the user the quick-wittedness and brute strength to defeat enemies unaided. It is a sign that the owner is protected by beings of higher existence. During his life time, Constantine was popularly believed to have had the supernatural guidance of numerous Gods and Goddesses. He was believed to have had the affections of both Apollo and Victoria who had granted him golden laurel wreaths of good health and long reign. It was even said that he was granted the rule of the World by Apollo. More importantly, however, is the affection granted to him by the Christ who aided him in the battle against Maxentius. Noble Phantasm '''Church of the Ressurection Type: Reality Marble Rank: A+ Range: 0~20 Max. Target: 50 people In his life, Constantine is known for ordering the construction of many important holy constructs such as the Church of the Holy Apostles and Old Saint Peter's Basilica. The most important construct is, however, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which was built at the site of Jesus' tomb in Jerusalem and has become the holiest place in Christendom. When manifested as a Noble Phantasm, what is summoned isn't just this single Church that Constantine constructed in his time, but rather a complex of churches and corridors that have manifested all of Constantine's important constructs in life. Similar to the temple complex of Ramesses II, Constantine is treated as if he were truly immortal here through the process of constant ressurection. A fatal strike through the heart or a decapitation - none of those will truly kill Constantine while he is in his Reality Marble. Through extensive time manipulation, Constantine's own body will be brought back or rather ressurected to a time before the injury transpired. The only clear way to defeat Constantine is the destruction of the complex itself. Furthermore, because this is the holiest place in Christendom, any and all curses will hold no value in here. They will be absolutely dispersed without exception. Even the corruption of All the Evils of the World may not thrive upon these holy floors. If an ally were to be cursed by the mud of the Grail and turned into an Alter version of themselves, bringing them to his Reality Marble will make it possible for the curse to be dispersed over time and they will be reverted back to their original self. Moreso, when enemies that possesses the traits of demons are transported into the confinement of these sacred walls, all parameters will be a rank down and holy artifacts such as Longinus, Excalibur, etc. will be boosted in performance. This Noble Phantasm is sealed away while Constantine is under the effects of the Innocent Monster' skill. It is only summonable in the Saber and Lancer classes furthermore. 'Relic of the True Cross' ''Type: Anti-Unit (Self) Rank: B Range: 2~3 Max. Target: 1 person (self) A helmet worn by the emperor Constantine which was featured in his royal iconography. According to legend, the materials of which the helmet was crafted in included those of relics found in the Holy Land by his mother Saint Helena. Most notably, his helmet contained a single nail taken out of the True Cross that Jesus was crucified on. By including the nail in the helmet's creation, it was said that Constantine would be protected from any harm arriving his way. According to Saint Helena, the purpose of the nail was to protect her son Constantine from any darts raining towards him by the intervention of the Lord Almighty himself. When manifested as a Noble Phantasm, this helmet grants Constantine absolute protection against enemy arrows and bullets. Not through the process of negating, but through the process of averting. Because Constantine is protected by the Lord himself, he is surrounded in an absolute shroud that is inscribed with the command No dart may approach my domain, forcing any arrows to evade Constantine regardless of their magnitude. Because of this Constantine possesses absolute dominance over fights with those of the Archer class, effectively shutting down their preferred way of fighting - long ranged combat. This, however, is applied only in a certain range. Any arrow that enters the range of ~3 around Constantine will instantly be averted into another direction from him, but if the Archer in question were to enter a close combat with Constantine that is closer than the ~2 range, the helmet will be unable to avert the arrow and Constantine will be forced to face the full blunt of it head on. Of course, since Constantine is a powerful Servant of the Saber class and he is highly competent at close ranged combat, it wouldn't be a wise idea for an Archer to enter into such close combat with him. They will likely be cut down immediately. There are, however, exceptions to this such as Arjuna who possesses immense power in close combat despite being a Servant of the Archer class which's main style of fighting is long range. 'Cross of the Conqueror Almighty' Type: Anti-Army Rank: B+ Range: 1~20 Max. Target: 50 people Before an important battle with the pagan emperor, Maxentius, Constantine and his men led a prayer. After a while, a cross appeared in the sky, above the sun and shining brightly with the inscription In Hoc Signo Vinces, meaning By this sign, you will conquer. This Noble Phantasm will be activated only when Constantine points to the skies with his sword and recites a prayer. Upon finishing, the skies will open up and a bright light will envelop Constantine. Anyone who witnesses Constantine shining in the light will have a powerful effect of admiration instilled into them, making it clear to them that Constantine is under the protection of God Almighty himself. What will appear in the hole made in the sky is a large cross that will radiate with utmost brilliance. By reciting the name of this Noble Phantasm, Constantine will be granted the absolute right to conquer. Upon his command, a powerful blast of light will rain down on the enemy army frying anyone who comes into contact with it. It is a glimpse of power possessed by the Heavens themselves, still shockingly powerful even in the Age of Man. There is a condition to this Noble Phantasm, unfortunately. In order to be able to summon upon the power of the Christ, Constantine has to be fighting a battle not advantageous to himself. Furthermore, he cannot activate it inside his Reality Marble. And lastly, the true power of this Noble Phantasm cannot be activated in a battle where Constantine is fighting a battle for someone else - such as for his Master. On the other hand, when fighting a personal battle contrary to the wishes of his Master, this Noble Phantasm will be granted a rank up in performance and will amount to the power of an A+ ranked Anti-Army Noble Phantasm. In that occasion, the blast will seem as if it were led by the Goddess Victoria herself in order to achieve absolute victory for Constantine the Great. Plus corrections are granted if fighting Servants related to paganism. Development Trivia Category:Heroic Spirits Category:Fate/Axiom Category:Saber-class Servant Category:Roman Heroic Spirits Category:Old Man Hiver